CANNON CONNECTION
A newsletter for Cannon Elementary families - 2018-2019
WEEK OF OCTOBER 15, 2018
Hi Cannon Parents!
Wow!! What a historic week it was at Cannon! We are getting settled into our new building and spent last week working on establishing and teaching new routines and procedures for our new spaces. It has been so amazing to see the sense of PRIDE our Cubs are already exhibiting through their responsible behavior and respectful use of our new building, furniture, and equipment. We certainly have many reasons to #BeCannonProud!!
BIG thanks to our Cannon PTA and volunteers for all of their work to make last week so special for our hard-working Cannon staff. They provided some delicious treats every day in the Teacher Break Room and it was very much appreciated by all!
I would also like to extend a HUGE thank you to all of our Cannon parents who have been so incredibly supportive, understanding, and patient, as we have transitioned to new traffic patterns and procedures at our new school. We had a record-breaking LONG dismissal on our first rainy day in the new school - almost 50 minutes long - and our Cannon parents were STILL so kind, understanding, and patient, as we worked hard to safely dismiss all students during very stormy conditions. AND...we heard your cheers of joy from the parking lot on Friday (our 2nd Rainy Day dismissal) when we managed to safely dismiss ALL students (car riders, walkers, and bus riders) in only 20 minutes! :) Progress!!
Our bus/car pick-up/dismissal line has really smoothed out and we are back to our "normal" timeframe for getting all kids unloaded/loaded safely. However, we do need your help in the mornings, from our car riders/walkers. As you have noticed, there is a bit of a long walkway for students to follow, before entering the school, then they must still have adequate time to navigate to their own classroom by the 7:40 start time. We have had a LOT of cars arriving/parents walking up right at 7:38-7:40. PLEASE make a slight adjustment to your morning routines to help your child arrive a few minutes earlier each day. Effective Monday, 10/15, we will begin issuing tardies for all students who arrive after 7:40 am.
Finally, please see the section in this newsletter about parent tours that will be offered, beginning the week of 10/22. We invite you to sign up for one of these tours that is most convenient for your schedule. We are excited to show off the new building to all of our families and spend some time explaining some of the intentional design concepts that will have an incredible impact on learning for our Cannon Cubs.
We are SO PROUD to share the amazing experience & opportunity of opening a brand new school with all of our school community! If you haven't had a chance to check out the faces of some of our Cubs when they arrived at Cannon on their first day in the new building, take a moment to check them out here. They are absolutely priceless!!
Proud to be your principal,
Mrs. Blizzard
#BeCannonProud
------------------------------------------
ARRIVAL/DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Please review the following information carefully, as there are several changes to our current procedures. We will have a LOT of staff on hand to help direct parents, as we adjust!
- Our bus drop-off is in the new bus lane that has been created at the new school, on the east side of the building. All daycare buses will also use this lane.
- The school parking lot that currently exists on our school property will be for staff parking ONLY between 6:30-8:30 am & 1:30-3:30 pm. This change is necessary, as we are transitioning to using the old bus lanes as our arrival/dismissal lanes. Student safety is our first priority and we cannot have cars pulling in or out of the parking areas during arrival/dismissal times. Cones will be set up to remind parents when the parking lot is closed for non-staff parking use.
- Parents enter our new car lane (old bus lane) from College St. and must pull through the car lane until their student is dropped off/loaded into the car at the designated area near where new sidewalks will be available. PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF STUDENTS UNTIL YOU ARE IN THIS DESIGNATED AREA. We do not want students walking, without supervision, in any areas around traffic areas. All cars will need to exit the parking lot and turn right onto Pebblebrook Drive. See diagram below.
STUDENTS NEED RAIN GEAR ON RAINY DAYS!
Our new building, after all phases of construction are completed, will have covered walkways from the parking AND bus loading areas! Yahoo!!
HOW DO I GET INTO CANNON IF I NEED TO PICK MY CHILD UP, DROP OFF SOMETHING OFF TO THE OFFICE, OR ATTEND A MEETING?
If you are coming to the campus to volunteer, drop off something, visit a teacher/student, or to drop off/pick up your child during the school day, you will walk down the same walkway towards the entrance students are using and make a right to follow the sidewalk to another door, just a short distance away. At this door, you will see an intercom mounted near the door and you will need to press the button and remain standing in front of the camera. After someone from the office answers you and is able to identify/verify your identity, they will release the lock so that you can enter through this door. Please stand in clear view of this camera in order to gain admittance and respond loudly/clearly when prompted by a staff member. This door takes you through the administrative suite of offices and will lead you to the reception area, where you can check in with our front office staff. This entrance forces all guests to enter the building in an area that is secured from the remainder of the school.
Please note that neither of these entrances are permanent. They are being used as temporary entrances until we are able to access our main entrance, after the demolition of our old school.
PARENT TOURS!
Since these tours are during the school day, we must limit the tours to 40 participants per tour. After a sign-up time has been filled, with 40 participants, it will be removed from the sign-up options. Reminders will not be sent out to participants, so please make note of the date/time you have signed up for when you complete the form.
We can't wait to show off our new school to all of our parents!!
------------------------------------------
Mark Your Calendars.....
UPCOMING EVENTS
10/16 - Butterfly Flutterby Art Contest Entries Due to Mrs. Mattox See information in this newsletter about this great opportunity for your child!
10/17-10/19 - 5th grade at Camp Sky Ranch
10/22 - Spooky Skate @ Skate Town in Grapevine - 6:00-8:00 pm
10/23 - David's Law Presentation - CHHS 6:00-7:00 pm
10/24 - Unity Day - Wear Orange - Everyone Matters!
10/25- Cubs Night Out @ Cici's Pizza
10/26 - StoryBook Pumpkins - turn them in to Mrs. Wagner today!
------------------------------------------
UPDATES & REMINDERS
Student Safety Patrol Is Coming To Cannon!
Parents! Please encourage your 4th or 5th grader to apply!
Attention all 4th and 5th grade students:
We are excited to announce that Cannon Elementary will be forming a Safety Patrol team this year. We will begin this program on Monday, October 29. If you are interested in being a part of the Cannon Safety Patrol, please stop by the office and pick up an application.
Safety Patrol members will serve a two week rotation. During the assigned rotation students will be expected to arrive at school by 7:15 and ready at their assigned duty spot at 7:20.
5th grade students only: This will be an additional leadership opportunity to serve as a Safety Patrol Captain. This job will require putting out the cones, take attendance for members on that particular rotation, help with any communication, and serve in the lead position. This leadership opportunity will be for a minimum of one 2 week rotation. If your child is currently serving as a STEMbassador then he/she will not be able to serve as a captain.
IT'S STORYBOOK PUMPKINS TIME!
Each year, our library is transformed to a pumpkin patch, as our Cannon Cubs bring in their pumpkin designs to depict their very favorite book characters!
Please check out Mrs. Wagner's links below to get all of the details about this year's plan for Storybook Pumpkins! Each student who participates will be allowed to choose a FREE book to keep!
Butterfly Flutterby Art Contest For Cannon Students!
Ask your child about the upcoming Butterfly Flutterby Art contest! Mrs. Mattox, our art teacher, has been sharing information with all of our Cubs about this and we hope to have LOTS of students participate! MANY of our former Cannon Cubs have had their artwork selected for special recognition in the past!!
Butterfly Flutterby Art Contest entries are due to Mrs. Mattox by Oct. 16th at 3:00pm. Please check your email from Peachjar or Grapevine Garden Club's website at www.grapevinegardenclub.org for entry forms and more information.
The event will be held on Saturday, October 20, at the Grapevine Botanical Garden on Ball Street. The 2018 theme is "Adventures of the Monarch." Artwork will be judged by local artists and each grade level will be awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize ribbons. Three grand prizes which include a $25 gift card per category will be presented for Sprouting Artist (K-1st), Budding Artist (2nd-3rd) and Blooming Artist (4th-5th).
Come to Cannon Night @ Skatetown - SPOOKY SKATE!
We hope to see you there!
Parent Technology Academy
GCISD Parent Technology Academy is BACK! Sessions are scheduled monthly with more to come! Come and learn along with others about the ever-changing world of technology in which your children are living!
This months Session: Apps Parents Need to Know - Updated just this Month!
Ever wonder what all those apps are your children are using on their phones or personal devices? Want to learn about the top apps that parents must know about to protect their children from online dangers and bullying? Join GCISD Chief Technology Officer Kyle Berger as he presents this popular presentation of Apps Parents Need To Know!
October 16, 2018
Start time 6:15 @ Grapevine Middle School Cafe (SAC)
301 Pony Parkway
Grapevine, TX 76051
You will be given insights into this ever changing world of technology and mobile apps. Learn about helpful ways to monitor your child's usage as well as tools that can help you at home.
There are thousands of mobile apps let us help you understand some of the dangers! The presentation is updated Monthly to include new trending apps and content!
Please Pre-Register https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEzQev_rjs1g97YQI14Xm_TW823AAPhtwGDskdzHQbhehYaw/viewform?usp=sf_link so we can be sure to have appropriate seating, as well as provide you will follow up material from the session. Be sure to save the date as this favorite session fills fast with over 500 parents attending last year alone!
More Sessions can be found on the Parent Technology Academy Webpage
Here Comes The Bus
GCISD is happy to announce the adoption of an innovative mobile device app and website entitled, Here Comes the Bus®. This app allows you to view the real-time location of your child’s school bus on your smartphone, tablet or computer. The app is free!
Getting started:
Available in three languages (English, Spanish and French), the Here Comes the Bus app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
- Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
- Click the Sign Up button
- Enter school code 79915 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
- Complete the User Profile information
- Click “Students” and enter your child’s last name and student ID number when prompted
- Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!
To sign up on the website, or to learn more about this service, visit the Here Comes the Bus website.
Star-Telegram Stock Show Art Contest
The competition, open to ALL students ages 5-19 that are enrolled in a Texas public, private or accredited home school, presents an opportunity to showcase artistic abilities and offers a great chance to win awards, college scholarships or cash prizes in excess of $20,000. Belt buckles will be presented to the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion along with official Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo rosettes to the 1st–7th placings.
A panel of local art professionals will judge the competition and placing entries will be displayed during the Fort Worth Stock & Rodeo, January 18–February 9. Additionally, select qualifying non-placing entries will be showcased as a special exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The contest has something for everyone: five (5) age divisions for individual entries, three (3) classroom divisions for two-dimensional entries and a three-dimensional division, for high school students. For more information contact Jordan Simons at 817.877.2534 or email Art Contest.
DAVID'S LAW PRESENTATION
------------------------------------------
NEWS FROM CANNON PTA
PTA QUICK PICKS!
Check out these "quick picks" of reminders & information from PTA:
- REFLECTIONS ART CONTEST Calling All Cannon Cubs! Enter into the Reflections contest and represent Cannon Elementary! Show GCISD the extraordinary talent we have here at Cannon! Contest Theme: “Heroes Around Me”. Submission Categories: (All submissions must be original works in the following areas)
· Film Production
· Literature
· Music Composition
· Photography
· Visual Arts
Submissions Due to Cannon Front Office by Wednesday, November 7, 2018. Pick up your student packet from the Cannon Elementary Front Office or CLICK HERE to download today!
All submissions must be turned in with:
· Completed Student Entry Form.
· Student Name on the back of the submission
· Placed in an Envelope. Attention: PTA Reflections
Questions: Email Kaye.Rogers@gcisd.net
UPCOMING PTA EVENTS:
October 15 - Cannon Cubs' Moms' Night Out
October 22 - Spooky Skate at Skatetown
Additional events at cannonpta.com/calendar
Stay connected by following Cannon PTA on social media. Click here to "like" the PTA Facebook page. Follow them on Twitter @CannonPTA.
------------------------------------------
QUICK LINKS FOR PARENTS
------------------------------------------
I want to make you aware of where you can see information and resources, specifically about the Cannon construction project. Also, check out the awesome exterior renderings of our new school below!!
Please reach out to me to let me know of any questions you may have about this project. This is a VERY exciting time for our Cannon school community and I want to make sure all of our Cannon families stay informed!
Click here to see project updates on all GCISD Bond programs
Click here to sign up for construction updates by email about the Cannon project!
------------------------------------------
Cannon Elementary: A GCISD STEM School
Email: tona.blizzard@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/1428
Location: 1300 W College St, Grapevine, TX, United States
Phone: 817-251-5680
Facebook: facebook.com/CannonSTEM
Twitter: @canSTEM